A Brief Overview on the 8th African RCE Conference Dr. Marlene Chikuni, RCE Zomba 9th African Regional RCE Meeting 5-7 August, 2019, Luyengo, Eswatini

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A brief overview on the 8th African RCE
conference
Marlene Chikuni, PhD
Chancellor College, University of Malawi
RCE Zomba coordinator
Presentation made at the 9th African RCE meeting,
Kwaluseni
Eswatini. 5 – 7 August, 2019
by
outline
• Introduction
• Challenges
• Recommendations
• Way forward
RCE Zomba membership
• multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary
• chaired by Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Environmental Affairs
Department (EAD)
• government departments e.g. fisheries, forestry, agriculture, water, lands committee
members
• community members
• parastatal organisations
• environmental NGOs
• media
• two student based ESD groups that spearhead campus sustainability activities and
community engagement
• Green Campus Initiative
• Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic
• academia
Accelerating progress towards achievement of SDGs in Africa
Thematic areas
• Poverty
• Biodiversity conservation
• Traditional knowledge systems
• Higher education
• Community engagement
• Collaboration & partnership
• Skills acquisition
• Youth
• Sustainable production and consumption
Accelerating progress towards achievement of SDGs in Africa
Some members of the local organising committee
objectives
• Critical reflection on challenges, impact, sustainability and opportunities for
implementing and upscaling SDGs and ESD-Global Action Program through RCE activities.
• Showcase the work of the African RCE network in implementing sustainable
development goals and ESD-GAP
• Share ESD opportunities and challenges associated with implementation of the
sustainable development goals.
• Discuss the roles that adults and youths can play in upscaling SDGs/ESD activities through
RCE activities
• Review the action plan for African RCEs.
• Discuss current and emerging issues on SDGs, ESD, SD, climate change and environment
as they affect African communities.
• Develop a youth roadmap for implementing SD, SDGs, ESD-GAP and integrate youth into
the national SDGs’ implementation plan, policy and programs.

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secretariat
Mrs Fiskani Chirwa
Mrs Ntande
subthemes
• Creation of space for multi-stakeholder engagement including local and
faith communities
• Challenges and opportunities in upscaling ESD activities
• The role of gender and youth in RCEs
• Role of academia, politicians and the private sector in upscaling RCE
activities
• Role of media in promoting education for sustainable development
• Curriculum gaps on ESD
• Innovative technologies to support ESD
• Appropriate bye-laws on ESD and strategies for enforcement
Official opening by Mr Bright Kumwembe, Chief Director for Environment and Climate
Change Management
delegates
• RCE Eswatini: ESWATINI
• RCE Buea: CAMEROON
• RCE Greater Nairobi & RCE South Rift: KENYA
• RCE Zomba: MALAWI
• RCE Minna, RCE Zaria and RCE Yenagoa: NIGERIA
• RCE Greater Eastern Uganda: UGANDA
• RCE Lusaka: ZAMBIA
• African RCE advisers
• UNU-IAS rep
Participants to the 8th African RCE conference, Chancellor College, Zomba.
Malawi
presentations
• plenary
• keynote Address by Prof S. Chiotha: A reflection on the architecture of
RCE to enhance impact delivery
• RCEs should be relevant and be in the forefront to spearhead efforts in
addressing local environmental challenges
• key Note address by Prof Akpezi Ogbuigwe: Empowering RCEs to
implement the SDGs
• RCE network should know where it is going otherwise will fail to advance

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Panel discussion
• Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services (IPBES) workshop by Dr Mariteuw Chimère Diaw
• ALL Youth representatives
Youth facilitating a Panel discussion on ESD Opportunities and
Challenges associated with implementation of the SDGs

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Excursion related to community engagement
• Conservation agriculture practicing farmer
• Automated Weather Station at Malosa EPA
• managing data on weather and using it for example in climate change
mitigation and adaptation
• A river bank afforestation project
• Demonstration of energy saving cook stoves
Reflections / challenges
• There is no follow up on recommendations from past conferences
• Lack of resources for attending local and international meetings
• Limited information sharing and communication amongst RCEs
• There is no MOU for secretariat
• There is little national cognition of RCEs
opportunities
• Exploit existing linkages with UN organizations e.g. through UNESCO
• Exploit recognition & sponsorship from AU
• Lobby policy makers both the opposition and ruling party when it comes to
development issues.
• RCEs need to find programmes where projects can fit in and not vice versa
• There is also need to have tentacles to many donors and identify different
types of funding.
• Remember, opportunity lasts for the lifetime of that opportunity.
• Know where we want to go as a network otherwise we will not go
anywhere. For example, if private sector can’t come to us, then we visit
them
• Willingness to assist in editing the RCE journal.
Key recommendations
• The youth should take a leading role and learn to make sustainable
decisions
• Youths should be agents of change
• Youth in academia to reach out to the youth in rural areas and assist
them to utilize the indigenous knowledge
• Establish collaboration among stakeholders within an RCE so that
everyone should be on board.
• Struggling RCEs should be willing to learn from those that are thriving
• We should use our brains to bring solutions to the challenges we face

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Action points
• Submit papers from the 8th conference for consideration for publication in the RCE
journal. Authors that presented during the conference were requested to submit full
papers within 6 weeks after conference. Deadline is 14 September 2018. MEMBERS
AGREED TO HAVE THE RCE JOURNAL UP AND RUNNING BY THE NEXT AFRICAN RCE
CONFERENCE NOT YET OFF THE GROUND TWO YEARS DOWN THE LINE
• Emphasize on tree growing and not necessarily tree planting as a way of mitigating
against deforestation.
• We should find sustainable ways of hosting conferences. There should be collaboration
among sectors and not insist on territorialism. CAST THE NET WIDER
• Explore ways of coming up with an RCE fund for supporting delegates to attend
international meetings NOT YET DONE
• Create an RCE WhatsApp group for coordinators and Advisors. DONE
• Intensify online reporting INDIVIDUAL RCEs
• Intensify efforts of community engagement DONE
Success / results
• Report published and distributed to stakeholders
• Presentations, Programme and Photos from the conference uploaded
on the UNU-IAS website, www.rcenetwork.org.
• The 8th conference increased visibility of RCE Zomba and the global
RCE network in general
• There is increased awareness among Malawians due to publicity
through print and electronic media
• Consequently, it resulted in an interest to join RCE Zomba as well as
formation of new RCEs in Malawi.
• MOMENTUM NOT SUSTAINED
challenges
• Funding
• Pre
• During
• Post
• Publicity
• Difficult to sell concept of RCE
• enthusiasm
Lessons
• Passion
• Perseverance
• Adaptability
• Partnerships
• Funding
• Volunteerism
• Language
Relaxation up on Zomba Plateau after field excursion

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acknowledgement
• UNU-IAS for financial and logistic support
• Malawi Government, Environmental Affairs Department (EAD) for financial
and logistical support
• Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust for financial support
• Faculty of Science for financial and logistical support
• Faculty of Law for financial support
• Centre for Environmental Policy & Advocacy (CEPA) for logistical support
• Chancellor College management (office of Principal, Registrar, Dean of
Research) for logistical support
• Dr D. Kachilonda for financial support
• Zomba City Assembly for logistical support